Grew up in Erie PA......that cold that snow........month after month.   Coldest I remember was -18F so -29F geez.....

Current temp is -1F out here and 16F in garage where figs are snoring
Going to warm up to high 20s in coming days.

You just got  to experience "LAKE EFFECT" once in order to really love it!!

 

Martin
You wrote "and 16F in garage where figs are snoring ". That is -9 deg C inside the garage, I guess no heat. Have mercy on them.
Do you think 16F in the garage is OK for the plants health?

Next two nights seem to be the winter climax here at -17F and -16F outside the garage. No lake here to moderate the temps.

Yes they will be fine with those temps as there in bigger pots on cement floor. I think i have one 3 gallon pot the rest larger and up to 30 gallons each January garage temps go into the teens. 
Have a few 1 gallon containers in attic .

Have my elder hardy chicago inground out in open area of yard with a portable type green house surrounding it but have no idea what the temp is in there its probably cold though. lol

This is why i tease Jon P sometimes by saying his plants are spoiled .  ; )

I think that the fact that you have something to block the wind helps out the most Martin, my garage got to -19 C last year and only the ucd - 291's died I think if they were in the open that wind would have killed a good portion of them.

Tonight as well a tomorrow night (Fun 4 FIgs):
http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/22/us/weather/index.html

Does anyone know if you can claim fig trees lost from winter weather as property damage on an insurance claim??

I doubt that very much. The Insurance Co may ask you to move your business to other company.
They may ask to make a warm place for the figs so they don't get sick and die just like people heating their house and can't claim insurance if they get sick in a non-heated house in cold climate. I m not a lawyer though.

It's here....1/24/13....6:30am....10*F

I guess what Tyler is saying is that you should put them outdoors and then have a neighbour run them over accidently?  Or perhaps set them on fire?

Just kidding!